San Diego County, California
Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 6s with light winds out of the W.
Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 6s with light winds out of the W.
Best window·Sunday 6AM–9AM·7-8ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Birdrock, San Diego County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on WNW swell at 5s with light winds out of the W. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor by then.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 18s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on SSW swell at 17s with gentle SE breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the WNW and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–6ft, 15s period, rated Fair - Good. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with light NW winds. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Sun, Sep 6: 7–8ft, 14s period, rated Fair - Good. First light looks cleanest — 7-8ft on S swell at 14s with gentle NNW breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Sep 7: 7–8ft, 13s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 7-8ft waves on SSW swell at 13s and gentle NNW breeze. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Birdrock from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Birdrock is 2-3ft with a 5.5s swell period. Wind is W at 6mph. Conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Birdrock is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.4ft WNW wind swell swell at 6s, a 2.1ft SSW secondary swell at 10s, a 1.2ft SW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Birdrock is Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 13.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Birdrock works best with a SW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Birdrock. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Birdrock is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
The prime season at Birdrock is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Birdrock include flat rock reef with urchins, long paddle out, needs overhead+ swell, some localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Birdrock forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
